Finding Support On Your Transplant Journey

The following article was sent to me by The Transplant Experience--a kind of help desk website for organ transplant patients (both potential and current). The website is sponsored by Astellas Pharmaceuticals, and was created as an information database for organ transplant, and its associated issues.

"Finding Support To Help You Succeed
In Your Transplant Journey"

Staying positive while you are waiting for your new organ isn't always easy. Sometimes the whole process can seem overwhelming; but it's important to remember that you can succeed—and there is help available. If you are feeling isolated or uninvolved, or just want to talk about your experience, there are many organizations that can help.

Here are just a few of the many organizations created to meet the needs of those who are pre-transplant and their loved ones. You can access a comprehensive list of support organizations at www.TransplantExperience.com.

National Foundation for Transplants (NFT)
NFT is a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping those seeking a new life through transplantation. NFT provides fund-raising campaigns for transplant recipients.

Transplant Recipients International Organization, Inc. (TRIO)
TRIO is an independent, international nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life of transplant candidates, recipients, family members, and donor families. TRIO provides support, awareness, education, and advocacy to those involved with organ transplants.

Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA)
COTA strives to make lifesaving organ transplants accessible to children of all ages. COTA also works to arrange the funding necessary for transplant expenses.

National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF)
NTAF has a 26-year record of success helping families address financial hardships arising from uninsured medical expenses related to transplantation. NTAF offers fund-raising guidance and provides direct financial assistance in the form of $500 and $1,000 challenge grants to eligible patients.

Find support groups in your local area by using the Transplant Experience support group locator.

Preparing For The Year Ahead

The coming of the new year is a particularly good time to calculate your expected expenses for the year ahead and to review your medical plan to ensure that you are prepared for any potential changes in your health or transplant status. Talk to your transplant financial coordinator to better understand your financial responsibilities and your level of coverage for care received before transplant and what you can expect post-transplant. Also find out if your plan covers expenses related to your transplant surgery, such as travel, food, and lodging while you are at the transplant center.

If your coverage changes such that you find yourself underinsured or uninsured, your transplant financial coordinator may be able to help you locate financial assistance programs for which you may qualify.

Your insurance coverage or carrier is subject to change with each benefit year, and it is important to understand how these potential changes may affect you.


**If you wish to receive these newsletters on your own, I encourage you to visit The Transplant Experience, or Astellas Pharmaceuticals. You may find the website address on the left side of this blog located under the heading "Helpful Renal Websites."